


Pressure

by MCUsic_to_my_ears



Series: ScienceBrosWeek2019 [5]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Incredible Hulk (Comics)
Genre: Abuse, Autism, Autism Spectrum, Bruce Banner Angst, Bruce Banner Feels, Bruce Banner Has Issues, Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Jarvis (Iron Man movies) is a Good Bro, Meltdown, Panic, Science Bros Week, Science Bros Week 2019, Sensory Overload, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Is a Good Bro, sensory issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-07-09 17:41:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19891759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MCUsic_to_my_ears/pseuds/MCUsic_to_my_ears
Summary: Bruce hasn't had sensory issues in a long time. Thankfully, Tony is there to help.***SBW 2019 Prompt 5: Pressure





	Pressure

**Author's Note:**

> I don't have autism, but I did spend a week at a special needs day camp this week (always the same week as SBW, no joke), so that's the only thing I've been thinking about.

Bright lights had always been a trigger for Bruce when he was little. The photons pounding into his retinas, short circuiting his brain's focus until all he could do was scream and flail in hopes that his own stimuli would cancel out the world's. Noises were the same way, although never quite as potent as the lights. The noises came after, a panic that settled outside of his genes. His father had screamed at him when he reacted to the lights, kicking him, brutally restraining him until he stopped the fixed action pattern. Until a new one was branded into his mind. Don't react unless you're alone. Don't stim, or hum, rock. Let the lights burn you. They're better than the fist. 

A sensory processing disorder, the case worker told him after he sent a week in ICU. Autism. Genetics. His father now in a supermax, he and his aunt would learn how to manage it, along with the slew of other mental illnesses he was diagnosed with in the following month. By college, he had it figured out for the most part. Which was why, in the back of his mind, he wasn't sure why he was dropped to the floor, hitting whatever he could reach. The strobing alert was pure white, a cry to the hospital rooms in his childhood. 

He did his best to cancel out the overwhelming waves of stimuli when an anchor grasped onto his shoulders, drawing him back down. A focal point.

He gasped, a welcome interruption from his ripping screams. A moment of calm in the storm long enough for him to reorient. Stimming. Move, get the energy out. Photons hit the atoms, making the electrons jump energy levels. Transduce the energy into mechanical and flick it back into the air with your fingers. Bruce panted and squirmed and  _ endured _ until all his electrons settled back. He shielded his closed eyes, turning around on the cool lab floor. 

He blinked, bringing the source of the previous pressure into focus. "Tony?" he asked hoarsely. He rocked himself gently, grabbing at his shoes. Slip ons today. He probably should have recognized that an overload was imminent when his fingers twitched out of control that morning. 

"Bruce, what's wrong?"

Bruce squinted. "Wrong," he agreed, frowning at himself. 

"Oh, um. Okay. I can work with this," he mumbled to himself. "Alright. What- what do you need?" 

Bruce nodded. It didn't happen often, but after particularly difficult episodes, his language facilities… the mechanics of it especially went on hold. 

Tony put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed tightly, smiling around his anxiety. "Hey, J?" he asked kindly. "Any tips? Pressure worked out great on the front end, but we're not all the way through the back." Bruce curiously gripped his friend's hand. 

JARVIS spoke lowly, from a single speaker. "Dr. Banner, are the sounds or lights bothering you?" he inquired. 

Bruce glanced at the ceiling, then at Tony's hand. "Lights," he repeated. "Done," he added. JARVIS lowered them halfway regardless. 

"So it's a sensory thing? Whatever just…" 

Bruce nodded, patting Tony's hand. "Is it something new? Or Hulk related?" He shook his head, swallowing. He grabbed Tony's hand and pulled it over to his keyboard above his head, tapping out the six letters that he thought he had left behind. 

Autism. 

"I didn't know," Tony mumbled. Bruce shrugged, wrinkling his brow. He grabbed Tony's hands and put them back on his shoulders. 

"I believe Dr. Banner would like you to continue applying pressure, sir," JARVIS supplied. 

"Yeah, I got that." Tony smiled at Bruce. "Anything you need, Big Green. We'll get through this." For the second time, Bruce thought, melting into the pressure. 


End file.
